BASEBALL

Shoemaker's Sixth-Inning Bomb Lifts Baseball Past Lander 6-4

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – A three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth by Eric Shoemaker (Huntersville, NC) helped Pfeiffer University comeback for a 6-4 win over Lander in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday afternoon at Joe Ferebee Field. The victory moves the Falcons to 22-23 on the year finishing up the home portion of the 2010 schedule at 13-12. The Bearcats dip to 20-15 with the loss.

Lander carried a 3-2 lead into the sixth striking first with a Robert Skinner (Hartsville, SC) RBI-double and run-scoring single by Pete Hernandez (Nokomis, FL) in the first. Pfeiffer cut the lead in half with an RBI groundout by Preston Lyon (Gastonia, NC) in the bottom of the inning.

In the Bearcat third, Hernandez struck again with another RBI-double to right-center, plating Skinner after a one-out walk, putting the visitors up a pair. Pfeiffer again battled back with a Shoemaker RBI-single in the fourth before his shot in the sixth.

Will Davis (New London, NC) started the Falcon sixth with a double to left while Josh Strickland (Liberty, NC) slapped a single to right. On the first pitch, Shoemaker belted a deep fly ball into a stiff breeze blowing in from center that put the Falcons up 5-2.

Each team traded final runs in the eighth before Lander attempted a two-out comeback in the ninth. Alan Abrea (Miami, FL) put the Bearcat run on the board with a RBI-double down the right-field line while Davis scored, unearned, on a throwing error and wild pitch in the bottom of the frame.

Lander’s ninth inning rally began with Devin Ridlehoover (Wendell, NC) beating out an infield single to short to keep the ballgame alive. Jordan Owens (Inman, SC) then settled for a double to center, just missing a game-tying home run by a foot, before Skinner loaded the bases with a free pass to first. Falcon reliever Luke Wilhelm (Lexington, NC) then got a groundball by Hernandez to end the contest.

Wilhelm scored the save for John McDaniel (Mocksville, NC) who picked up the win tossing six frames allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Zack Pou (Stanley, NC) led the Falcons at the plate going 3-for-4 pushing his hit streak to 37 games. Four other Falcons had multiple hits in the contest. Hernandez led the Bearcats offensively with a 3-for-5 outing and pair of RBI.

Pfeiffer will finish up the 2010 Conference Carolinas season this weekend heading to Anderson for a key three-game set. The series begins with a doubleheader at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.